You put a lot of work into growing your garden, so it makes sense that you’ll do anything you can to protect it. Keep your garden healthy and away from pests by following these four tips.
- Put Up a Fence
Putting up a fence is the best way to protect your fruits and vegetables from animals looking for a meal. To keep out deer, construct a fence that is at least 6 feet tall. If you have a lot of deer activity in the area, consider putting up an even taller fence. To prevent animals from burrowing under the fence and attacking your bounty, place the fence at least one inch into the ground. If you’re using chicken wire or other materials that the animal can maneuver or that can move with time, place cinderblocks or rocks around the perimeter of the fence as a precaution.
- Remove Weeds
No one likes weeding, but if you don’t remove weeds from the garden, they can choke out your plants and negatively affect your harvest. If you don’t have the time needed to keep your garden weed-free, hire a weed control service Manchester CT to do the job.
- Lay Down Eggshells
Slugs and snails can quickly decimate a garden. To protect against these gastropods, sprinkle crushed eggshells around your plants. The sharp shells will harm the soft underbellies of these creatures and deter them. If eggshells aren’t working, set up a beer trap by placing a small dish of beer in the ground so that the liquid is at ground level. The slugs will be drawn to the yeasty beer and away from your garden.
- Use Shade Cloth
Your garden thrives under sunny conditions, but too much heat can destroy your plants. Protect your garden by placing a shade cloth over the plants. Burlap, old screens and nets defend from the extreme heat while still letting your crops breathe. When picking a shade cloth, make sure it’s not too heavy for the plants.